skim

[ skim ]

/ skɪm /

verb (used with object), skimmed, skim·ming.

to take up or remove (floating matter) from the surface of a liquid, as with a spoon or ladle: to skim the cream from milk.

to clear (liquid) thus: to skim milk.

to move or glide lightly over or along (a surface, as of water): The sailboat skimmed the lake.

to throw in a smooth, gliding path over or near a surface, or so as to bounce or ricochet along a surface: to skim a stone across the lake.

to read, study, consider, treat, etc., in a superficial or cursory manner.

to cover, as a liquid, with a thin film or layer: Ice skimmed the lake at night.

to take the best or most available parts or items from: Bargain hunters skimmed the flea markets early in the morning.

to take (the best or most available parts or items) from something: The real bargains had been skimmed by early shoppers.

Metallurgy. to remove (slag, scum, or dross) from the surface of molten metal.

Slang.

to conceal a portion of (winnings, earnings, etc.) in order to avoid paying income taxes, commissions, or the like on the actual total revenue (sometimes followed by off): The casino skimmed two million a year.
to take, remove, or appropriate for illegal use: to skim information from another's credit card.

verb (used without object), skimmed, skim·ming.

to pass or glide lightly over or near a surface.

to read, study, consider, etc., something in a superficial or cursory way.

to become covered with a thin film or layer.

Slang. to conceal gambling or other profits so as to avoid paying taxes, etc.; practice skimming.

noun

an act or instance of skimming.

something that is skimmed off.

a thin layer or film formed on the surface of something, especially a liquid, as the coagulated protein material formed on boiled milk.

a thin layer, as of mortar.

Slang. the amount taken or concealed by skimming.

skim milk.

Obsolete. scum.

Origin of skim

1375–1425; late Middle English skymen, skemen, variant of scumen to skim; see scum

SYNONYMS FOR skim

5 scan.

12 glance.

OTHER WORDS FROM skim

un·skimmed, adjective

Words nearby skim

skillet, skillful, skilling, skillion, skilly, skim, skim milk, skim off, skim-read, skimble-scamble, skimboard

British Dictionary definitions for skim off (1 of 2)

skim off

verb

(tr, adverb) to take the best part of the teacher skimmed off the able pupils for his class

British Dictionary definitions for skim off (2 of 2)

skim

/ (skɪm) /

verb skims, skimming or skimmed

(tr) to remove floating material from the surface of (a liquid), as with a spoon to skim milk

to glide smoothly or lightly over (a surface)

(tr) to throw (something) in a path over a surface, so as to bounce or ricochet to skim stones over water

(when intr, usually foll by through) to read (a book) in a superficial or cursory manner

to cover (a liquid) with a thin layer or (of liquid) to become coated in this way, as with ice, scum, etc

noun

the act or process of skimming

material skimmed off a liquid, esp off milk

the liquid left after skimming

any thin layer covering a surface

Word Origin for skim

C15 skimmen, probably from scumen to skim; see scum

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

skim

verb (used with object), skimmed, skim·ming.

verb (used without object), skimmed, skim·ming.

noun

Origin of skim

SYNONYMS FOR skim

OTHER WORDS FROM skim

Words nearby skim

British Dictionary definitions for skim off (1 of 2)

verb

British Dictionary definitions for skim off (2 of 2)

verb skims, skimming or skimmed

noun

Word Origin for skim

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

skim

verb (used with object), skimmed, skim·ming.

verb (used without object), skimmed, skim·ming.

noun

Origin of skim

SYNONYMS FOR skim

OTHER WORDS FROM skim

Words nearby skim

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for skim off (1 of 2)

verb

British Dictionary definitions for skim off (2 of 2)

verb skims, skimming or skimmed

noun

Word Origin for skim

British Dictionary definitions for skim off (1 of 2)